


Forever and a day

by paperamericana



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Canon Lesbian Relationship, Domestic Fluff, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Lesbian Catra (She-Ra), Marriage Proposal, Non-Graphic Smut, Oblivious Adora (She-Ra), Post Season 5, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates, They getting married, Useless Lesbians, Wedding Rings, a couple of years in the future, catradora, it's cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:08:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25008214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperamericana/pseuds/paperamericana
Summary: Catra was almost certain Adora could feel her heartbeat in her fingertips as their hands brushed against each other.“You’re staring again.” Catra’s voice was gentle, as if she didn’t want to break spell the beach had cast on them. There was something magic about the sand and the sea during twilight hours.“I am.”_______Catra and Adora had talked about forever since they were kids growing up and finding their way together in the fright zone.Now they've accepted the way they feel, allowed themselves to embrace the warmth their give to one another, forever feels very different. Lovelier. Longer. Scarier.Two years of living with Adora again, Catra can't help but feel at home in Bright Moon and it's a welcome change. As she revels in the warmth of her new 'found family', she realises it's time to make that bond official with the most important person in her life, no matter how terrifying it may seem.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra), Netossa/Spinnerella (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Comments: 17
Kudos: 297





	Forever and a day

**Author's Note:**

> lots of fluff! definitely a self-indulgent fic. enjoy :)

Catra could feel the weight of the box in her pocket, barely two inches wide but considerably heavy, dense with words she had yet to say. They scrambled round her head, scratching up the walls, itching to get out whilst still decidedly unsure of themselves. 

How could she conjure up anything worthy of forever with her sunshine girl? 

Not that the idea of forever was foreign to them. It was entirely familiar. The endless moments they’d spent in the early hours of the morning, when the fright zone was so still, so empty, they could pretend it was a kingdom they had conquered. The other cadets merely pawns in their devilish plans. Their whispers were battle cries, leading to them to victory, crushing those that had hurt them. 

Catra would imagine taking Shadow Weaver up to the roof, where she’d spent so much of her time with Adora, and dramatically pushing her to the edge, as if she were a pirate making her prisoner walk the plank. Eye patch on, sword in hand; sometimes she’d even have a peg leg just to hear Adora’s full bellied laugh at the hilarious thought.

It was ironic really, the day she’d seen Sea Hawk for the first time. As per usual, her attention had been on Adora, but she’d caught a glimpse of the pirate out of the corner of her eye as she ran towards her true target, and it had almost winded her.

She recalled the way she’d tripped as she caught sight of him, the memories of her and Adora snuggled in bed together, her telling wild tales of her pirate adventures. It had spread an unwelcome warmth throughout her body. In hindsight, this must have made her particularly cruel to Adora that day. Particularly cutthroat.

Adora was the only one that knew of eight year old Catra’s dream. She wanted to become a pirate more than anything. She’d made her promise not to tell, and promise not to laugh, but the latter was far too difficult for Adora to keep - the image of scrawny, little captain Catra made her giggle.

As she played with the box in her pocket, she remembered the vitality of her storytelling, how Adora would gasp and laugh and sigh with relief at all the right places, no matter how many times she’d heard it before. She always made her story feel brand new, and with it, Catra, who had become so used to feeling old and crumpled and damaged. 

This colourful patchwork of their childhood flickered through Catra’s mind. Their juvenile dreams so full of unabashed hope, with visions of her and Adora wearing crowns, mounting thrones atop the fright zone. Sat close enough to hear the gentle rise and fall of the other’s chest, but far enough to never quite satiate the intimacy they craved in secret. 

“Hey, honey.” Adora’s arm slid round Catra’s waist from behind, making her jump a little. She was startled out of the day dream, desperately fumbling with the box in her pocket to make sure it was hidden.

“Hey, Adora.” She managed to purr. Adora’s face was burrowed into the left side of her neck, her right arm still gently wrapped round her stomach. They stayed like that for a moment, their breathing syncopating as they stood wrapped up in each other. 

“Whatcha doing?” Adora broke from her then, making her way round to Catra’s front. 

“Nothing.”

“Sure.” Her hands recaptured Catra’s body, snaking their way round her back as Catra’s hands made their way to her neck. “That shifty look on your face says otherwise.” 

A blush blossomed across Catra’s cheeks at that. She tried to recompose herself but the pressure of Adora’s hands and the strength of her gaze made it feel like the air had been sucked from the room and pumped into her lungs all at once.

“You _always_ think I’m up to something. Honestly, you princesses are all the same. Far too nosy and cynical for your own good.” Her hand tucked a loose strand of hair from Adora’s face as she smirked up at her. Despite the frown now present in her expression, fondness overwhelmingly radiated from the blonde in front of her.

“But I’m only an _honorary_ princess.” She couldn’t help the grin that overtook her furrowed brows.

“Fine, Grayskull. You’re kind of cute too so, maybe I’ll make an exception.” Adora loved this side of Catra. The playful, unashamedly domestic side. The side that had been crushed to a pulp by the horde’s regime. By everyone who had used her until they felt she’d expired. 

There was a joyful glint in her eyes that she hadn’t ever seen before, not even in their adolescent days spent together. Sure they’d been happy from time to time, but joy in that place was never pure. It was always tarnished by something gritty and far too adult for their young minds.

Ever since she’d moved in with her at Bright Moon the glint had appeared so often she’d pretty much lost track. At first she wrote them down in her diary; it was a bullet point list titled ‘Catra smiled properly today’. It was numbered, with a short sentence detailing what happened. 

_1) I showed catra our room this morning. she hugged me. small but still cute_

_5) right as I woke up. sleepy. came with a cuddle so a big win_

_12) catra tried cookies with milk for the first time - big toothy grin. 10/10_

_26) I fell over and she laughed. pretty sure she called me an idiot. it was a big one though so it was worth it_

Adora stopped after 50, both because she kept forgetting and because it didn’t matter as much anymore. When she started she knew Catra hadn’t smiled like that in a long time, but it became second nature. In fact, it became strange to see her not smiling.

 _Beautiful._ Adora’s breath hitched in her throat at the appearance of Catra’s amused smile.

“Adora?”

“Huh?”

“I said, are you okay? You’ve been staring for like a minute now, not that I can blame you.” It was Adora’s turn to blush now, removing her hands from Catra’s waist to grab a drink from the counter. She sipped to hide her embarrassment, but there was something else causing her cheeks to flush. The cockiness in Catra’s tone made something stir in her stomach, something she was still trying to get used to.

As Catra strolled towards her she moved away slightly, until her lower back was pressed against a hard surface. Catra placed her hands on Adora’s thighs prompting her to jump up onto the counter. She felt the searing heat from the contact remain long after Catra’s hands were placed either side of her. 

“Put the drink down, Adora.” Catra rarely used Adora’s full name anymore, opting for a playful last name or pet name instead. The stark difference struck her, her hand moving to place the drink beside her before her head could catch up.

“Awh, so obedient.” She purred, her fingers grazing Adora’s chin and tracing down the veins in her neck.

“That’s big talk for a…bottom.”

“Hey, I’m _definitely_ the top out of-“

“ _You’re_ the top?” Bow’s deep voice cut the cloud of tension that had filled the room, causing Catra’s heart rate to spike dangerously high. “Damn it, now I owe Netossa ten bucks.”

Catra tried to regain composure, flustered by the sudden intrusion, and further shaken by the realisation that two of their friends had bet on their dynamic in bed. She’d been right when she’d accused them all of being too nosy for their own good.

“Of course I am. Who’d you think would be in charge here?” She spun, allowing Adora space to jump down from the counter. The question was rhetorical but Adora glanced down at Catra’s long claws anyway, looking back up to raise her eyebrows in a mocking way.

“I don’t know Catra. someone’s nails are pretty long for a t-“ Catra’s hand flew to cover Adora’s mouth, her muffled chuckle still ringing out.

Bow smiled knowingly before creasing over with laughter. Glimmer had followed him into the room, her desire to know all the goings on in the palace getting the better of her.

“What? What do you mean?” Adora just shrugged, pointing at the hand still firmly over her mouth and Catra scowled in response. Glimmer turned to Bow then. 

“What was she going to say Bow? Why is that funny?” She huffed.

“Oh come on, you’re not putting this one on me. Useless lesbians.” He shook his head at the two fondly. They all started laughing a little at this, Catra feeling safe enough to remove her hand from its strongly held position. 

As he turned he noticed the frustrated look still lingering in Glimmer’s eyes, now tinged with a little hurt, and with a softer tone whispered, “Hey, I’ll explain later, love.” Rubbing soft circles with his hand on her upper back let Glimmer drop a little of the tension she held at the feeling of being excluded. 

Her slightly paranoid tendencies never really went away, but with just a touch and a look Bow could reassure her now. They’d always been connected in a way, but after their wedding day they’d become even more insufferably similar, according to Catra anyway. Glimmer sighed, leaning up to press a gentle kiss to Bow’s cheek before leaving.

“Oh wait, Glimmer, I meant to ask you something.” Adora yelled after her, sending a quick glance in Catra’s direction before darting out of the door.

Silence enveloped the two left in the kitchen, comfortable but long. Heavy with the weight of something Bow had yet to discover.

“Today’s the day.” Bow knew what Catra meant immediately, his eyes going wide at the proclamation. 

“Really?!” He squealed, unable to contain his excitement as he grabbed her hands and squeezed them vigorously. “You’re doing it today?”

“Mhmm. I was going to take her down to the beach and-“

“Ooh, you should put it in a clam, like make the clam the little box, that would be so cute. Or put it in a little bottle and plant it in the sand somewhere and then pretend it washed up on shore and-“

“Bow, Bow, Bow. Calm down. I, I was just going to, yknow, get the box out and get down on one knee.”

“Ah, simple, classic. I see you.” He grinned, nodding in approval. “Let’s see it. Ooh, can I hear the speech?”

Catra reached into her pocket and pulled out the box that had been weighing her down all day. She’d actually had it on her all week, but had chickened out moments before every time. Slowly, with a kind of maternal care, she handed the box to Bow, allowing him to open it. His eyes drank in the contents like a treasure chest. The ring was simple and elegant.

“Look on the inside.” At Catra’s behest he flipped the ring and studied the inside, spotting tiny engraved writing there. It read “I love you, I always have” in beautiful cursive.

“Catraa.” He almost whined, holding the box to his heart and pouting. “That is _adorable_.”

“Shut up.” She mumbled, nervously and repeatedly kicking the floor with her foot.

“What about the speech?”

Catra froze, her eyes slowly raising to meet Bow’s excited gaze.

“I- I actually don’t have one planned. I was just gonna feel it. And, I guess, whatever comes out, comes out.” 

“Hmm, yeah. Very you, very spontaneous. You know I had a script for mine, put in stage directions and everything just to get it perfect. But, to be fair, I ended up forgetting half of it when Glimmer started crying so, hey ho.”

The nerves had been fluctuating between underlying and overwhelming all day, but the thunder in her stomach was migrating through her body now. Her arms felt numb, and she had to try her hardest to stop herself from lashing out in a defensive response. As she felt her breathing spiral, Bow’s arms came up to rest reassuringly on her shoulders. Instead of speaking he sent her a comforting smile, and enveloped her in a bear hug.

It had taken her a while to get used to how physical everyone at Bright Moon was, but now she felt herself melting into the embrace. As Bow held her she felt her fear dissolve a little, the thrill of Adora becoming her wife taking its place. She felt at home here, not necessarily with the luxury or the grandeur of the place, but in this embrace with Bow, in Glimmer’s room dancing to the music they blasted, in the moments before dawn laid out on the grass and gazing up at the stars with the people she’d made her family. 

* * *

As she took her place at the table, Catra let her eyes drift around the room, taking in the scene laid out before her. It was Micah’s birthday, and everyone had been invited to a big dinner to mark the occasion. She watched as Glimmer ran her hand reassuringly along Bow’s shoulders before sitting down next to him. 

She noticed Lonnie, Kyle and Rogelia sat in the corner with Frosta, cards in hand. From personal experience, Catra knew never to take Frosta on at cards, her poker face was excellent at both hiding her intentions and intimidating her opponents. The girl was deceptively small and innocent-looking.

Netossa’s characteristically loud voice cut through the rabble of noise, catching her attention. She was sat animatedly telling Spinerella, Entrapta and Castapella a story. Although she couldn’t quite make out the story itself, the reactions of her captive audience were entertaining enough. Entrapta was enamoured by Netossa’s enthusiasm, most likely taking mental notes for some kind of scientific observation. 

Castaspella looked politely on and Spinnerella wore the hint of an amused smile. Every now and then, when Netossa was punctuating her sentences particularly loudly, she would glance at her. The way she drank her in was sweet, gently placing a hand on her arm to reign in her over-enthusiastic recounting. Catra looked at them and smiled, the love between them so evident it reminded her of exactly why she wanted to propose to Adora tonight.

Her smile widened at the sight of Scorpia sat opposite her, next to Perfuma; there was a blush present on Scorpia’s cheeks that seemed to always appear when Perfuma was around. She was teaching her how to braid hair, holding half of her own out to Scorpia and keeping half for herself. Scorpia struggled with the lack of fingers, but the fond smile on her face showed Perfuma was endeared by it.

Even the sight of Mermista and Sea Hawk stood squabbling at the door brought some kind of comfort to her as she looked around the room. 

Micah stood then, capturing the attention of the room by gently knocking his glass with a tea spoon. He gave a speech, the contents of which were not dissimilar to most speeches made at events like these. He would mention how thrilled he was to see everyone together, how wonderful the food was, how happy he felt. 

Adora would get up at some point, retaining her leadership role despite her role as leader of the rebellion being made redundant at this point. She’d make a small speech, and everyone would cheer once she was done, in part because of her words, but mostly because that meant it was time for dessert. Her eyes went wide at the side of the cake they brought out, but her appetite was squashed by the unwavering anticipation she felt.

As Catra revelled in the warmth of her found family, she knew it was time to make that bond official with the most important person in her life.

* * *

Catra was almost certain Adora could feel her heartbeat in her fingertips as their hands brushed against each other. Every now and then the tranquility of the beach was broken by the rush of a wave crashing onto the shore, but it didn’t feel tranquil or quiet to Catra - the thud of her heart and her laboured breathing making far too much noise.

Adora snuck a peak at Catra’s side profile, illuminated slightly by the light of the full moon. Her hair, now long again, was tied into a messy ponytail, giving Adora a perfect view of her perfect face.

“You’re staring again.” Catra’s voice was gentle, as if she didn’t want to break spell the beach had cast on them. There was something magic about the sand and the sea during twilight hours.

“I am.” Adora smiled to herself, looking back down at the sand. She remembered the first time she’d come here, with Bow and Glimmer, how different everything had been then, how restless she’d been. A grin flitted across her face at the image of the exasperated pair of them. So much had happened since then. The girl stood next to her was proof of that. 

On a sudden whim, Adora turned and grabbed Catra by the waist, hoisting her over her shoulder. It took more work when she wasn’t She Ra but she could still manage it.

“Grayskull, put me down!” Catra yelled, bashing Adora’s back relentlessly. The bashing turned to light scratching as Catra realised the direction she was being carried in. “Don’t you _dare_ put me in the water, I won’t hesitate to deck you Adora.”

Adora laughed frantically, dropping Catra down on the sand, just feet away from where the ocean lapped at the shore. 

“You asshole.” Catra kicked sand up at her before shooting off down the beach. Their laughs echoed off the rocks, loud and raucous and entirely uninhibited. 

Catra knew Adora was strong, but she was quicker. Her movements were clumsier than usual though as she felt her stomach ache from laughing.

“Catra, you dropped this-“ Adora’s voice became inaudible as she picked something up from the sand and dusted it off. Catra turned just in time to see her look at the box and snap the lid open. Despite the ring so evidently being in Adora’s hands, Catra patted her pockets down desperately, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips.

Adora blinked once. Twice. Three times, before she managed to look back up to where Catra was standing, shellshocked. Her mouth was hanging slightly open, disbelief written all over her face.

"It’s a ring.” She was stating the obvious but Catra was too blindsided to poke fun at her for it. 

They stood staring at each other from a few feet away for what could have been two seconds or two minutes. It felt like a lifetime.

As she came to, Catra moved towards Adora, holding her gaze the entire time. 

“Here.” Adora handed the box back to Catra, her face like that of a child caught doing something she shouldn’t have.

“It’s for you.” Catra managed to get out, suddenly wishing she’d planned a speech like Bow had suggested as almost every word of the English language escaped her. After a few moments, she jumped, getting down on one knee as if on auto pilot. 

The exact moment it struck Adora was obvious, the way her hands flew to cover her mouth and the almost undetectable squeak she emitted.

Catra took a deep breath in, hoping that the oxygen would also bring with it some semblance of a speech for her to give.

“Adora I love- Adora I…oh fuck it, Adora Grayskull, will you marry me?”

“But _I_ was meant to do that.”

“That’s not a yes.” Catra stated in a panic. “Why wasn’t the first thing out of your mouth yes?”

“Oh, I mean yes, yes, I- a thousand times yes.” She grabbed Catra by the collar of her shirt, pulling her back up so she could kiss her. Their lips met and it sent a warmth through their bodies they couldn’t contain. “But _I_ was going to ask _you_.” Adora got out between the moments they melted into one another. This gave Catra pause enough to pull back.

“You were what?”

“That’s what I was asking Glimmer about. Whether I should do it today. I’ve got the ring in my pocket.” Adora moved her hand from Catra’s cheek and reached into her pocket to pull out a small, shimmery, drawstring bag. 

“It’s for you.” She teased, tipping it up and catching a simple, silver ring in her palm.

Catra shook her head, beaming at the now flustered girl in front of her. Her hair was slightly static from the way her fingers had tangled themselves up there, and her cheeks were delicately flushed. Even as bewildered as she was, Catra couldn’t help looking at her like the literal sun. 

With trembling hands, she took the ring from the box and held it up. With an equally shaky hand, Adora lifted her finger and allowed Catra to slip the ring on, holding it up to moonlight to marvel at how it looked.

“Catra, my fiancee, huh? Wow.” It came out of Adora like the release of a breath, goofiness seeping into her tone.

“Don’t ruin it.” Although she was chastising her, Catra’s voice was doused in tenderness.

After a few minutes of content silence, Adora spoke. “Married. That’s like, a proper adult thing.”

“Yeah, it is. Forever’s a long time.”

“Really long.” Catra could sense a kind of nervous fear behind Adora’s elation. She wasn’t worried by it though, she understood it. They’d been taught, no _conditioned_ , to reject love and intimacy from such a young age, that to give into it in such an irreversible way as this felt daunting. To promise to love someone forever, when love had been presented to them as a poison not a virtue, was frightening beyond belief. 

“Hey, Adora.” She said so quietly the waves almost drowned the sound out. She leant into her side, letting her arm wrap itself around her waist. Adora’s arm instinctively enveloped her shoulders in response, resting her head against Catra’s in a way that felt as natural as breathing to them.

“Give me a day. That’s all I want. And then, when we make it through that, let me ask for another.” Adora moved so that their foreheads were pressed together and her eyes lit up, brighter and bluer than Catra ever thought possible.

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

In this way, forever didn’t feel so frightening. Because they’d make a choice, a promise every time, to stay for just one more day. And then another. And another. And another, until they’d arrive at forever without ever really realising they were there. 

Catra felt the relief in her chest, the caverns between her ribs filled and empty all at once. She had Adora. The girl she’d learnt to walk with. The girl she’d scaled their childhood world with. The girl she’d learnt to love with. The girl she’d fought and hurt and desired and _dreamed_ of forever with. 

And Catra knew, when they eventually made it to forever, she’d ask Adora for forever and a day.


End file.
